


The Pursuit of Happiness

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Meant to Be [25]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-12
Updated: 2013-01-12
Packaged: 2017-11-25 06:46:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/636213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe this was what happened when you repressed feelings one way or another for over a decade.  They couldn’t help but burst from every orifice as soon as you let just one out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pursuit of Happiness

“He's really in his element, and he's enjoying himself.” John Brooks laughed. “He can't get enough of this, can he?”

“Not really.” Jessie looked down at her husband on the sidewalk. 

He was trying not to dance to Bad Company on the radio as he flipped hamburgers on his trusty old red grill. It was a hot day in the middle of August; Peach Street was having a block party. There were grills everywhere, radios, blow up pools, and bicycles too. But not every family had the means to cook out. 

Like his father before him, Sam fed every kid in the neighborhood who wanted or needed it. Not a single one would go without. Some families were proud and didn’t want to appear needy. But they knew Sam didn’t have a haughty bone in his body. He never did it to say he did it. 

It was always about the kids. It was hard to run around all day have summer fun with a grumbly belly. If he could help then he would. He also had a cooler full of bottled water and juice boxes. 

In front of the Kassmeyer house was like kid central. Bug couldn’t get enough of all the kids. In between trying to get a hotdog for himself, he indulged in being petted and adored. Cate Hale and Ellie Spicer seemed to like him the most but he had a fan in all the Peach Street kids.

“You know a guy for a lot of years, even if you aren’t exactly friends, and you watch him raise his kids.” John said as he sipped his lemonade. “You pray they turn out alright just as you pray for yours. In a small town, we’re witnesses to everyone’s rise and fall. Sam has exceeded expectation. He's a wonderful man and will be a great father.”

“Yeah.” Jessie touched her flat belly. She was only ten weeks pregnant but was sure time would fly. Soon they were going to be mom and dad…she couldn’t wait. “He's ridiculously happy about the baby. We’re still not talking about it too much but it’s exciting.”

“Sam is a happy guy, and after all the knocks life gave him that’s saying something. No matter what he’s been through he never let it shake his faith or his intent on being happy. That’s one of the things I love about him. Its also one of the many reasons I believe that there is no one else in this world for you.”

“Daddy, that’s sweet.”

“I mean it.” John said. “You know how much I love you Jessie. You and I have always been close. You’re a wonderful person and an amazing daughter. Still, for most of your life I've never thought you were happy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hey Jessie? Jessie?”

She didn’t want to look away from her father but Jessie couldn’t help it when she heard someone calling her name. Marlene Smith was coming down the street. She stopped to speak to Sam, who was now trying not to dance to _Rock and Roll Fantasy_ , before making her way up the front steps. She lived about halfway up the block and was a year older than Jessie. 

The whole town talked a decade ago when she married Kurt Smith. He was a football hero and part of the Appletree Terrace set. His family was firmly upper middle class while Marlene grew up on Peach Street. Who knew that eight years later he was going to ruin her life, his, and the life of their son when he was convicted in federal court of embezzling almost $2 million from his job in the New Hampshire state government? 

Marlene lost everything, including her job at the bank. She couldn’t continue to make her mortgage payments so she moved with her son back to her parents’ house on Peach Street. It was in ill repair but was better than being homeless. Sam and Derek had just done some work on it a few months ago. Sam paid for the supplies himself. 

He grew up with Marlene and wanted to help her, her mom and her eight year old son Bobby in anyway he could. The people in town could still be cruel about the whole thing, as if any of it were Marlene’s fault. She was struggling to make ends meet with a part-time job in Manchester and her mom’s Social Security checks. Jessie knew that sometimes she drank too much and she also took Valium and some other drugs to relax. It probably wasn’t the healthiest way to live but after all she’d been through…Jessie couldn’t say what she’d do under similar circumstances.

“Hey Marlene what's up?” the bubbly blonde put on a smile.

“I'm sorry to bother you but would you happen to have a cooler I could borrow. I don’t mind if its just one of those Styrofoam deals. I’m gonna set up some sodas and water for Bobby and some of his pals on the porch. I don’t want him running in and out of the house. We just got air conditioning and that’s expensive enough. Imagine how much the bill will rise with the door opening and closing.”

“Oh sure, I have a Styrofoam cooler in the house.” She stood from the porch swing. “I’ll get it for you.”

“That’s great Jessie. Thanks so much.”

“How are you Marlene?” John asked when Jessie went into the house. He and her father, Gus, had been good friends for most of their lives. No one was more shocked than John when Gus dropped dead of a massive stroke five years ago. He wasn’t even that old. His wife Joanne never really recovered. “How's your mom?”

“Everyone’s good Mr. Brooks, thanks for asking.” Marlene smiled like she always did at the adults even though she was one now herself. John Brooks had been one of the handful of people in town who didn’t gossip and whisper after her husband was convicted. Her being fine right now wasn’t exactly true but Marlene hoped that wasn’t always the case.

“Here you go.” Jessie came out of the house with the cooler. “It’s a bit small but I think it’ll do the job.”

“Thank you so much. Do you want me to bring it back when I'm done?”

“No, you can keep it.”

“Thanks Jessie. See you later, Mr. Brooks.”

“Bye Marlene.” John waved.

“You want me to refill your lemonade, Daddy?” Jessie asked.

“No sweetie, I'm fine. You should sit down.”

“I'm fine.” She smiled but did as he said. It was a hot day; Jessie was starting to tire more than she used to. “You were saying something before Marlene walked up.”

“Yes I was.”

“Oh c'mon, don’t make me drag it out of you. You thought that was I never happy. Why would you think that?”

“Maybe I said it wrong. Its not that I thought you were never happy. There was just something underneath, right under the surface of your skin. You were a good kid Jess. You were smart, kind, loyal to a tee, and you wanted to make everyone around you happy. 

“You were very good at everything you endeavored. There was just something in me that worried that you wouldn’t find something just for you. I don’t have to worry about that anymore. I know you're happy now. It’s not just about Sam; a woman doesn't need a man to define her happiness.”

“Tell that to Mom.” Jessie tried but failed not to roll her eyes.

“Your mom just wanted you to be happy too.” John took her hand and squeezed it. “We’re both overjoyed that you are now. And it goes without saying how excited we are about being grandparents again. Have you talked to your sister about it yet? Don’t be upset but I think your mother told her.”

Jessie knew that she had because Haley left her a voicemail two weeks ago. She hadn't told a soul about it, or the fact that she hadn't returned it, not even Sam. It was so hard to rebuild this relationship and Jessie feared it might never be possible the longer she avoided it. The truth was that she just didn’t know what she thought of her older sister anymore. 

Perhaps she could forgive her for running off with another man, perhaps she already had. But the way she hurt Aaron, and her other loved ones…that was harder to swallow. Jessie hated that Haley didn’t trust her enough to say she was unhappy. OK, she didn’t tell her about the affair. 

That was understandable. But to smile in her face while supposedly dying inside, why would she do that? If Jessie couldn’t be there for her during her toughest times when was she supposed to be there for her? The longer she over thought it the more difficult it became.

“I haven’t talked to her.” Jessie replied, shaking her head and hoping to end that conversation. “But there is something I need to talk to you about. It’s kinda important.”

“Is there something wrong?”

“No Daddy, there's nothing wrong. I just want to talk to you.”

“Talk away.” John smiled.

“Well you know that my story was published in an anthology recently?”

“Yeah, I don’t think there are ever going to be enough words to describe how proud I am of you. I remember when you were six years old, maybe you were seven, and you wrote this story about a cow traveling through space. You came and you showed it to me; you were so proud of it. So was I, Jessie. I still keep that story folded up in my desk drawer. It was called Moo on the Moon.”

“What? I don’t even remember that.” Jessie laughed. “Moo on the Moon…that’s pretty creative.”

“It was; you were brilliant. I knew then how talented you were and how far you could go.”

“I'm writing a novel. Well, I've already written one and now I'm writing another. Erin Strauss wants to publish them both. This one I'm working on now is probably going to be the better of the two but when I'm done I'm sending it to editors at her publishing house. That’s probably one of the most exciting things I've ever said in my life. For so long I repressed this feeling in me and I can't even tell you why. I can't repress it anymore. The problem is that I don’t think I can write, raise a family, and run the diner too.”

“Sarah can run the diner, sweetie.” John said. “She’s been trying to get the keys from your hands since the second I put them there. She’s good at what she does.” John said. “We’ve got a great staff and they love what they do. The diner was my dream and I made it come true. What kind of father would I be if I didn’t let my little girl do the same.”

“I’ll still go in once a week to help. I can ease the vendors into a relationship with Sarah and of course keep tracks of the books and such. I promise I'm not going to leave you hanging Daddy, I just…”

“Hey now, you have never once left me hanging. You think I don’t know what you’ve sacrificed all these years so I could retire? You could’ve been a New York Times bestselling writer a decade ago but you put family first. Now I'm going to do the same.”

“You always put me first Daddy; that’s why I am who I am.”

“Live your dream Jess.” John hugged her. “I can't wait to sit down with Diane Sawyer when you win that Pulitzer.”

“I don’t think so.” Jessie laughed. “It’s going to be Barbara Walters or nothing.”

“That’s my girl.”

“Are you guys hungry?” Sam called from down on the sidewalk. He was making up burgers for Damian Walker and Cate Hale. “I've got some great burgers down here.”

“That sounds good, Sam.” John stood and since he was still holding Jessie’s hand she did as well. “I think its time to eat.”

“Bug, don’t!” Sam exclaimed as the dog grabbed a hot dog from the table and took off. “Get back here dog.”

“He got you, Sam.” Jessie laughed. “He's been waiting all day for an opportunity and finally found one. He seized the day.”

***

“I'm married to the smartest woman on the planet.” Sam said grinning.

“Why would you say that?”

“Well there are probably a million reasons. One of them is that she always knows what's good for me. A bath tonight is very good for me.”

“It’s not too bad for me either.” Jessie wrapped her arms around his neck. She loved the way Sam moaned when her body pressed against his. Why had they never taken a bath together before? This was pretty close to perfect.

“I saw you and your dad talking up a storm today. I'm glad he came to spend the day with us.”

“I was worried he’d be lonely with mom away on her girls’ vacation. I think he might be enjoying it a little too much. I asked him to stay tonight but he said there was baseball and bookshelves waiting for him at the house. I don’t think he wants to miss one night to himself.”

“You think we’ll be that way someday?” Sam asked. “We’ll be married for so long that we start to look forward to spending time apart?”

“Nope.” Jessie shook her head and laughed.

“That was going to be my answer too.” he kissed her nose and then her lips. 

Holding her close always felt so amazing. There was something that Jessie’s wet skin did to Sam…there was something that Jessie did to Sam. Sometimes he wasn’t even sure it was healthy to be as in lust and in love with a woman as he was with her. Maybe this was what happened when you repressed feelings one way or another for over a decade. They couldn’t help but burst from every orifice as soon as you let just one out. He was as good as gone for the rest of his life where she was concerned.

“My dad said some interesting things today. He was talking about how Aaron used to come to the house all the time to court Haley but he was shy and nervous so he always brought you. I would sometimes entertain you while they were off talking or reading or whatever. Soon it seemed as if you were more excited about coming to see me. You never really said anything but would come to find me whenever you guys showed up. He said he knew then that you were courting me too and was just waiting for the day when you would come to ask for my hand. He knew you would because you were raised right.”

“He told you that I asked for your hand?” Sam asked, kissing her shoulder.

“Mmm hmm; why didn’t you tell me?”

“I don’t know. I'm just glad he didn’t reject me.”

“Would you have asked me if he would've?” Jessie asked.

“I had no choice but to ask you. I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember. I couldn’t wait another moment…my eyes were finally opened. It had to be you, Jess.”

She wanted to speak but could only smile. Jessie caressed his face, just looking at him. Sam Kassmeyer was a good catch; everyone in town thought so. This was even before he became a multi-millionaire. They almost let each other get away and their story would've had a very different ending.

“I love you.” she whispered in his ear.

“I love you too, baby.” Sam held her tighter. “I'm thinking about doing things to you, right here in this tub, but it’s a little slippery. I say its time for bed.”

“That sounds perfect to me.” 

Jessie moved out of her husband’s arms and out of the bathtub. Sam watched as she toweled herself off and threw his tee shirt over her head. Damn she was a beautiful woman. He jumped up right after her, pulling the plug from the tub. He used the same towel, wrapping it around his waist.

“Bug! Aww, Bug get off the bed!” Jessie exclaimed from the bedroom.

Sam came in laughing as the mutt jumped down and went over to the loveseat where he belonged.

“I think I'm going to have to train him a little better.” he said. “But I love our bed too so I really can't blame him.”

“No dog in bed.” Jessie smiled as she slipped between the sheets. Sam was right behind her, leaving the towel on the bedroom floor. “That wet towel on the floor is going to drive me crazy.”

“In a few minutes,” he pulled his wife into his arms. “You won't even remember it exists.”

“Just one more thing before you ravage me, Chief Kassmeyer.”

“Yes, love of my life.” Sam lifted the tee shirt over her head, threw it outside of their cover cocoon, and started kissing her neck.

“I told my dad that I'm going to leave the diner so I can pursue writing full time.”

“You did?” Sam stopped what he was doing. Wow, that was the last thing he was expecting to hear tonight. Jessie had been avoiding talking to her father about it for months now. Her husband understood but he also worried that the longer she waited, the less likely it was to happen.

“Yes, and he totally supports me. I was really worried but it was all for nothing. He wants me to write and he's the one who said that Sarah can run the diner…I didn’t even bring her up. I was going to but didn’t have to because he did. I'm so glad he understands.”

“He's always supported your dreams, even when you didn’t.”

“He told me about a story I wrote when I was about six years old. He still keeps it in his desk drawer, Sam. I didn’t even remember writing it. I always thought the first one was the one I showed Desi when I was eight.”

“Are you surprised that he was the one first one you’d want to share what you loved most in the world with?” Sam asked.

“No.” Jessie shook her head. 

“I hope you feel a weight lifted off you, baby. I know you were worried. I know you didn’t want to disappoint or upset your dad. Now you can put all of your focus into finishing your novel and living out your dreams.”

“Dream #1 is always you and me.”

“Mmm, are you sure about that?” Sam moved her onto her back, his body fitting perfectly between her thighs. “I think you wanted to be a writer first. Not that I'm bitter or anything. There are some things I don’t mind coming second to. Your immense talent is definitely one of them.”

“At this moment, you are second to none Sam Kassmeyer. And it’s really time to stop talking.”

She would get no argument out of him. He’d wanted some intimate alone time with Jessie for a couple of days now. He’d been so busy at work and then preparing for the block party. It was hot, she was tired, and Sam understood that she wasn’t always in the mood to be touched. She was in the mood tonight though. 

No matter how hard he tried, Sam could never shake feeling like a giddy teenage boy about to get laid. He didn’t even feel that way when he _was_ a giddy teenage boy about to get laid. They had the rest of their lives to look forward to and the feelings would never go away. Sometimes when there seemed like nothing to be happy about that would bring a smile to both of their faces.

***


End file.
